Hello! A hexblade/RDD/Blackguard build. Please criticize!

[Zephiel7]

Hi, I’m new, it's a pleasure to post here. I (ovbiously) like D&D. My favourite class, as you can probably guess is the hexblade class since it represents not only one of my favourite concepts in a traditional combat sense (he can debuff and fight well) but he is also the typical antihero that I love to roleplay. Please critique this build, I’ll be thankful of any reviews and criticisms.

The build in question uses seven levels of hexblade at its base class, some blackguard levels, and the rest in the RDD prestige class which the hexblade fits so well with.

1. Hexblade – ability focus, greater ability focus (total +4 to curse), Hex blade curse
2. Hexblade – Arcane Resistance
3. Hexblade – Mettle (Intimidating Strike, PHB 2)
4. Hexblade – Dark Companion (-2 to saves and AC), Level 1 spells
5. Hexblade – Bonus feat (Spell Focus or combat casting), 2 curses
6. Hexblade – (Power attack)
7. Hexblade – Greater hexblade curse
8. Blackguard – Aura of Evil, detect good, poison use 1st level spells,
9. Blackguard – Dark blessing, smite good 1/day, (Divine shield)
10. Blackguard – Command Undead, aura of despair, 2nd level spells
11. RDD – Natural Armour (+1)
12. RDD – Str +2, claws and bite, (Divine might)
13. RDD – Breath weapon, 2d8
14. RDD – Str +2, NA (+2)
15. RDD – Blind sense 30 feet, (Practiced spellcaster (to improve curses))
16. RDD –Con +2
17. RDD – Breath (4d8) NA (+3)
18. RDD – Int +2 (Improved Critical Greatsword)
19. RDD – Flight
20. RDD – Blindsense 60 feet, Str +4, NA (+4), Cha +2


At Level 1 from a 30 point buy.
STR: 15
DEX: 14
CON: 14
INT: 10
WIS: 14
CHA: 15

At character level 20
STR: 23 (27)--+6 (+7)
DEX: 16 (20)--3 (+5)
CON: 16 (20)--+3 (+5)
INT: 12 -- +1
WIS: 14 -- +2
CHA: 24 (28)--+7 (+9)

Dump EVERYTHING INTO CHA.

Assuming - fairly for a 20th level character – he has some nifty +4 equipment. That would raise his armour class. (+4 chain shirt, +4 amulet of natural armour, +4 ring of protection, +4 boots of hardiness, +4 strength belt, , +4 nymph cloak, +4 bracers of dexterity, ring of regeneration +4 and any old helmet)

Armour class:
With aforementioned equipment, this character would have a natural AC of around 39. With divine shield, this AC goes up to 48.

Weapon attack and damage:
Assuming fairly for a 20th level character that the greatsword is +4 enchanted with 1d6 extra fire damage.
Attack: +29/+24/+19/+14 -->(with PA) +24/+19/+14/+9
Damage: 2d6 +10+1d6+9(DM)+4-->(with PA) 2d6+10+10(PA)+9(DM)+1d6+4

Saving throws;
With arcane resistance, and dark blessings you will have some impressive saving throws. Also, you will make excellent use of mettle.
Fortitude: +35
Reflex: +28
Will: +33

Spells used:
1st level Hexblade spells:
Karmic Aura (Complete mage, causes fatigue), Expeditious retreat, 2 bonus spells here

1st level Blackguard spells:
Useful spells: Doom, cure light wounds

2nd level Blackguard spells
Useful spells: Curse of Ill fortune (complete arcane), Bull’s strength, Eagles splendour, Death Knell

Special Abilities:
Aura of Despair (-2 saves), Dark Companion (-2 AC and saves) Curse (-4 on all ability checks, saves, skill checks, attack rolls, damage)

At lower levels, rely on hexing to weaken tough opponents. Have expeditious retreat ready incase you need to escape combat quickly. Your dark companion at level 4 should drastically help you hit things. Casting Karmic aura will also help soften your opponents. Once you get blackguard levels, your curses become that much more difficult to resist. As you get DM and DS, damage and AC goes up. Progress as RDD to notice that damage increases tremendously.

At level 20, start combat by using divine shield. With aura of despair, dark companion, ability focus, greater ability focus (curse), practiced spellcaster and intimidating strike your curse DC is at 33. Curse your opponent, and lower their stats even further. Then use karmic aura, doom, and curse of ill fortune.

If everything works properly, they are going to take -17 to saves, -13 to attack, -13 ability checks, around -8 skill checks, and -4 on damage rolls. If you have poisons, use them for some more fun. Use a breath attack, with your immunity you'll be fine but they will find it difficult to resist as crippled as they are. Continue to attack and weaken them with your high damage from PA(aka power attack), DM(divine might), and from using a great sword. Finally kill them with a death knell giving you temporary 1d8 hitpoints, +2 to strength, and +1 caster level.

Another bonus I find with this character is, you can fly!

What do people think, is it a decent build? How could it be made better? One problem I have with it is that there are not enough curses to use, is there anyway to increase the number of curses that the hexblade has through feat choices? I would gladly give up improved critical for such a feat.

Another major problem is that its touch AC is rather low, but you can’t have everything… Hopefully with all the curses you put on their attack rolls and ability checks, it would lower their attack bonus enough such for you to stand a chance in avoiding them. Thanks for reviewing!

Roleplaying: I fancy roleplaying this character as an antihero that doesn't know that he is serving a powerful evil being bent on corruption (hence BG levels). One of his ancestors was a powerful dragon that signed a pact with this evil being, that damned many of his descendents into its servitude.

 

[theredrobedwizard]

Forgive me for asking, but RDD?

-TRRW

 

[Zephiel7]

No problem, RDD stands for Red dragon disciple.

 

[Seeten]

Red Dragon Disciple. Isnt 4th level Blackguard where you get turn undead? Its been awhile since I checked?

 

[Zephiel7]

No problem. It's third. Fourth level gives 1d6 sneak attack, which is nice but not completely needed.

 

[Seeten]

I prefer Paladin of Tyranny to mix with my Hexblade, rather than Blackguard, Paladin of Tyranny gets an aura that knocks opponents saves down by 2, making your curses likelier to land. It gets all the benefits of a Blackguard, also, except sneak, but you dont get sneak from Blackguard anyway.

 

[Zephiel7]

I prefer Paladin of Tyranny to mix with my Hexblade, rather than Blackguard, Paladin of Tyranny gets an aura that knocks opponents saves down by 2, making your curses likelier to land. It gets all the benefits of a Blackguard, also, except sneak, but you dont get sneak from Blackguard anyway.

Oh? Blackguard also gets an aura that knocks saves down by two...

 

[Darklone]

I prefer Paladin of Tyranny to mix with my Hexblade, rather than Blackguard, Paladin of Tyranny gets an aura that knocks opponents saves down by 2, making your curses likelier to land. It gets all the benefits of a Blackguard, also, except sneak, but you dont get sneak from Blackguard anyway.

Eeks? Why doesn't he get sneak?

Edit: only three levels. Right.

 

[Korak]

I don't see Cleave or Improved Sunder in your build. Both are required to qualify for Blackguard. Practiced Spellcaster only raises your caster level as a Hexblade. It will not improve the save DC for your Hexblade Curse. Despite what the rules say, many DMs will not allow two abilities that allow an ability bonus to apply to saving throws to stack. Some will grant an additional +1 to saves for the second ability. This is all debatable, and frankly whatever the exact RAW on the issue, I personally think double dipping on cha to saves is excessive. Of course, if your DM is fine with it, then you will indeed have fantastic saves. Consider balancing your strength and charisma more. You'll want more than a +29 to hit if you really want to take advantage of power attack at level 20.

One note on tactics. The Hexblade's curse is nice because it is a free action. At any level really, but especially at 20th level... spending the first 2 or 3 rounds casting debuffs as a melee character is asking to get killed. Your most precious commodity is actions. Every action not spent causing damage to the enemy better have a huge payoff in damage avoided or mitigated to the party.

And yes... hexblades are fun, as are dragon disciples... and wings are definitely cool.

 

[Zephiel7]

I don't see Cleave or Improved Sunder in your build. Both are required to qualify for Blackguard. Practiced Spellcaster only raises your caster level as a Hexblade. It will not improve the save DC for your Hexblade Curse.

Oops, I forgot about that . In that case replace practiced spellcaster and improved critical with cleave and improved sunder. Thanks.

Despite what the rules say, many DMs will not allow two abilities that allow an ability bonus to apply to saving throws to stack. Some will grant an additional +1 to saves for the second ability. This is all debatable, and frankly whatever the exact RAW on the issue, I personally think double dipping on cha to saves is excessive.

True, usefulness of this build varies according to DM. I see no problem with having a double stack in this case...after all they are derived from two different sources. However, with a paladin/blackguard, I can see why they would not stack.

Consider balancing your strength and charisma more. You'll want more than a +29 to hit if you really want to take advantage of power attack at level 20.

I considered that a bit.

However, I find that at level 20, some of the strongest monsters have an AC that can be overcome by this build. With dark companion and curses+ spells, there AC - at least dex AC-will be lowered.

If it so happens that the monster's AC is too high, then I can forego power attack and rely on regular attacks.

For example, a Molydeus, is one of the toughest (CR 19) and highest AC(40, Baalor is 35) demons out there. With the curse, all my spells stacked on him, and dark companion, his AC is easily enough to hit even with power attack over 50% of the time. Even normally, a die roll of 11 is required without power attack and dark companion.

One note on tactics. The Hexblade's curse is nice because it is a free action. At any level really, but especially at 20th level... spending the first 2 or 3 rounds casting debuffs as a melee character is asking to get killed. Your most precious commodity is actions. Every action not spent causing damage to the enemy better have a huge payoff in damage avoided or mitigated to the party.

True, but I was thinking that with my high saves, high AC, and all my immunities (fire, sleep, paralysis) it will be difficult for an opponent to actually hurt me. I'll use the Molydeus as an example again. The only way he can actually hurt me is through the first attack from his axe(+28). Even then, the only way he can hit me is with die roll 19-20. All others are two low to get through this character's AC. Also, at twentieth level, casting spells like karmic aura can occur before combat occurs, or in the air.

Also, like I said, I begin battle with intimidating strike and a free action curse. At that point, his attack roles will be pretty messed, making it even harder for him to hurt me.

And yes... hexblades are fun, as are dragon disciples... and wings are definitely cool.

Certainly